Well point



Aug. 13, 1935. T. G. GRIFFIN 2,011,518

WELL POINT Filed Aug. 2, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 T. G. GRIFFIN WELL POINT Filed Aug. 2, 1934 www 60. C1A/LMA@ www.;

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES WELL rom'r Timbihye. Grimn, Yonkers, N. Y. Appiicafion August z, 1934, serial No. v3s,132

l somma. (ci. 16s-5) The invention has relation to apparatus for draining water containing soil, and particularly to devices commonly known as well points, of the self-jetting type, adapted to jet the soil by 5 water under pressure, whereby the device may be gradually sunk in the hole thus formed, and when sunk to the proper depth, adapted for withdrawing the water from the soil by suction, preparatory to excavating for construction or other work.

Such devices commonly include upper and lower tubular spaced heads. a tubular screen located between said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, a valve seat in the lower head, a valve chamber below said seat, and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat.

In the prior art devices, the drainage space is too contracted, thereby reducing efciency, and the course of the water being drained is impeded by passage downwardly into a chamber in the lower head connecting the drainage space with the opening of the lower end of said pipe, there-` by increasing friction and further reducingV eiciency. In the prior art devices also it is necessary to provide for expensive and tedious drilling in driving through hard sub-soils, prior to use of the well point.

An object of the invention is to provide such a well point as will be adapted to be driven through hard sub-soils by repeated taps of a hammer delivered upon the top of the upper head of the point or of the riser pipe connected thereto. Another object is to provide such a well point wherein suction applied to the upper head of the pont or of the riser pipe will-be eifective to close said valve and draw water being drained through lateral perforations of the pipe connecting said upper and lower heads. i

Another object of the invention is to enlarge the drainage capacity of the device and to reduce the friction of the water passing therethrough, to thereby increase eiicieney. Another object is to increase economy of manufacture, strength and symmetry of the device. Another object is to increase water lubrication of the device, and to better clear the perforations of the screen of the device of any accumulations of solid matter, without necessity for pulling the device to the surface of the ground for this purpose. Another object is to adapt the device to be formed symmetrically of stream line design to thereby offer minimum resistance in sinking or pulling. Another object is to adapt the device to maintain circulation of drainage water in al1 drainage channels to therewhat larger scale; Figure 3 is a View of -the lower PATENT OFFICE by tend to keep said channels clear. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

This application is a continuation in part of copending application Serial Number 709,217, filed January 31, 1934, with certain additions. 5-

end portion of the device similar to Figure 1, and 15 showing a modification; Figure 4 is a. section on the line 4 4, Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, and showing another modification; Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Figure 5.

In these drawings, the numeral I designates the 20.f

tending downwardly to the valve seat 5, thereby a0:

adapting the well point to be hammer driven.

Surrounding the pipe I0, and concentric therewith is a tubular cylindrical screen I2, spaced from said pipe by an annular cylindrical drainage space I3. 85.-

The pipe I0 has at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations I4, establishing direct communica'- tion for the drainage water from said annular space to the interior of said pipe, said perfora- 40 tionshaving a total area which is restricted so as not to be too large with respect to the cross--I sectional area of the interior of said pipe, and said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening of the lower end of said pipe through A said valve seat whereby suction applied to the upper head of the well point or of the riser pipe will be confined to the lower end portion of said pipe vIIJ adjacent said valve and be effective to close said valve and draw water being drained through the perforations I4 of said pipe.

The riser pipe II, connected to the upper head, is in one or more sections as required to extend to the surface of the ground.

The lower head I is provided with a nozzle 3,

shown as of 'the single jetting stream type, and which may be substituted by the "drive and jetf nozzle of my aforesaid co-pending application, said nozzle having a suitable stop Il, against which the ball valve 1 will rest during the jetting operation.

In order to stiften or reinforce the perforated pipe I0, and to space the screen I2 from said pipe, the latter is provided with a plurality of longitudinal spaced fins I5, dividing the annular drainage space 9, into longitudinal drainage channels I5'.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the' drawings, these fins are shown as of V-form in cross section. this being a stronger construction than that shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings wherein the fins are shown as radial, as the V-form or angular iins are adapted to be more securely connected with the pipe I0, and also have greater rigidity than radial fins.

In order to adapt the device to maintain circulation of drainage water in all of the channels I 5' and to tend to keep said channels clear, said channels are provided with means of intercommunication between the same, comprising openings extending transversely of the partitions `or ilns, and located at the inner edges thereof preferably, as in this way the cross currents of drainage water better tend to keep open the perforations Il of the pipe I0.

In the case of the V-form or angular fins oi' Figures 1 and 2, one boring operation may serve to form the transverse openings I8 of these fins and the perforations I4 of said pipe.

In the case of the radial ns or partitions of Figures 3 and 4, these transverse openings are in the form of spaced notches I 9 along the inner edges of the partitions.

A further modification is shownin Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings wherein spaced shims or rings 20 are secured to the pipe I0, to which in turn are secured the fins or partitions, the spaces between these fins constituting the transverse openings aforesaid.

It is obviously within the spirit of the inven. tion to change the location of the ilns or partitions with respect to the perforations of the pipe l from that shown.

As the pipe I0 is cylindrical and is located concentrically of the upper and lower heads, a simple threaded connection between pipe and heads is enabled to be used.

In the prior art devices. the drainage space of the well point is too contracted, thereby reducing efllciencyyand the course of the water being drained is impeded by passage downwardly into a chamber in the lower head connecting the drainage channels with the opening of the lower end of the pipe connecting the two heads, whereas in the present case the drainage space being of general annular form and communicating directly with said pipe through lateral perforations of the latter, friction is reduced in that the course taken by the drainage water is shorter and less likely to become obstructed and drainage capacity is increased.

A portion of the water used during the ,letting operation passes outwardly through the perforations of the screen to lubricate the weil point in its downward passage in the ground and to clear the perforations of the screen of any accumulation of solid matter, 'and in the present case, due to the lateral perforations of the pipe being located opposite the screen, the passage 0f the water outwardly to the screen is facilitated for the purposes stated.

The screen I2 is usually composed of an inner wire mesh screen and an outer perforated metal screen, although other equivalent or suitable structure may be used.

, 'I'he longitudinal spaced fins of the pipe III may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, and the ball valve shown may be substituted by any other equivalent form of valve.

' l. In a well point having upper and lower tubular spaced heads, a tubular screen located between and concentric with said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, said lower head having a nozzle and a valve seat, a valve chamber below said seat, and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat; said pipe being cylindrical and concentric with said heads, said drain: age space being annular cylindrical, said pipe having at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations communicating directly with said drainage space, and said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening of the lower end of said pipe through said valve seat, whereby suction applied to the upper head will be coniined to the lower end portion of said pipe adjacent said valve and be effective to close said valve and draw water being drained through said pipe perforations.

2. In a, well point having upper and lower tubular spaced heads, a tubular screen located between and concentric with said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, said lower head having a nozzle, a valve seat, a valve chamber below said seat and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat; said pipe being cylindrical and concentric with and having threaded engagement with said heads and extending downwardly to said valve seat, whereby the well point is adapted to be hammer driven, said drainage space being annular cylindrical, said pipe having at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations communicating directly with said drainagespace, and said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening of the lower end of said pipe through said valve seat, whereby suction applied to the upper head will be confined to the lower end portion of said pipe adjacent said valve and be effective to close said valve and draw water being drained through said pipe perforations.

3. In a well point having upper and lower tubular spaced heads. a tubular screen located between and concentric with said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, said lower head having a nozzle, a valve seat, a valve chamber below said seat and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat; said pipe being cylindrical and concentric with said heads, said drainage space being annular cylindrical, longitudinal partitions in 'said space dividing the same into channels, said pipe having at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations communicating directly with said drainage space, said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening `of the lower end of said pipe through said valve seat, whereby suction applied to the upper head will be confined to the lower end portion of said pipe adjacent said valve and be eil'ective to close said valve and draw water being drained through said pipe periorations, and means for establishing intercommunication between said drainage channels adapted to maintain circulation of drainage water in all channels and to keep said channels clear.

4. In a well point having upper and lower tubular spaced heads, a tubular screen located between and concentric with said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, said lower head having a nozzle, a valve seat, a valve chamber below said seat and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat; said pipe being cylindrical and concentric with said heads, said drainage space being annular cylindrical, longitudinal partitions in said drainage space dividing the same into channels, said pipe having at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations communicating directly with said drainage space channels, said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening of the lower end of said pipe through said valve seat, whereby suction applied to the upper head will be confined to the lower end portion of said pipe adjacent said valve and be effective to close said valve and draw water being drained through said pipe perforations, and means for establishing intercommunication between said drainage channels adapted to maintain circulation of drainage water in all channels and to keep said channels clear comprising a series of spaced annular shims carried by said pipe and located within said partitions.

5. In a well point having upper and lower tubular spaced heads, a tubular screen located between and concentric with said heads, a pipe located within and spaced from said screen by a drainage space and connecting said heads, said lower head having a nozzle, a valve seat, a valve chamber below said seat and a valve in said chamber adapted to engage said seat; said pipe being cylindrical and concentric with said heads, said drainage space being annular cylindrical, longitudinal V- form partitions in said drainage space dividing the same into channels, said pipe having at the lower end portion only thereof adjacent said valve a plurality of lateral perforations communicating directly with said drainage channels, said valve chamber communicating directly with the opening of the lower end of said pipe through said valve seat, whereby suction applied to the upper head will be confined to the lower end portion of said pipe adjacent said valve and be effective to close said valve and draw water being drained through said pipe perforations, and means for establishing intercommunication between said drainage channels adapted to maintain circulation of drainage water in all channels and to keep said channels clear.

TIMOTHY G. GRIFFIN. 

